Legal aspects [was: anybody else see darl on teevee?]

[Joel Hammer]

I was involved in a lawsuit recently (The Target). I leaned
several things:

1. It is only about money. Don't feel offended or
embarrassed. All the lawyers certainly get along fine with
each other.

2. Nobody is interested in the truth. Each lawyer just spins the facts.

3. If the fact can't be spinned, they try to suppress it.

4. Lawyers have contempt for the jury system. It is simply
a dumb system they find easy to exploit. For example, I
was assured by a mediator that if my technically involved
case went to court, the jury would consist of 6 people
with absolutely no understanding of any of the technical
questions involved. Possession of a driver's license is all
that is required to be placed on a jury. And the jury will
be carefully screened by the lawyers. This was essentially
a blackmail threat. Very effective, too. One doctor who
was run out of her profession by litigation recognized a
homeless man on her jury. (At least he was always sitting
on a bench near the hospital.)

5. Lawyers have contempt for all the judges in certain
jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, not only the juries
are certifiably stupid, but so are the judges.

6. Lawyers are afraid of being sued by their clients. Most
folks don't know, and I wonder if their lawyers tell them,
that you can sue your lawyer if the deal he gets for you
is not reasonable. The lawyers complain bitterly that
judges will not review and approve their settlements,
thus shielding them from lawsuits. Imagine. They want a
tax funded public employee to spend his time protecting
these private lawyers from litigation.

7. Lawyers are by far the biggest $$ contributor to one
of the two major political parties in this country. Almost
all our lawmakers are lawyers. So, forget about reforming
our legal system. The best hope is to avoid ever being
caught up in it.

8. Thanks for reading this. I feel better now.

Joel